A New Chapter
by Bucken-Berry
Summary: Secret Santa gift for Sawyerr. I hope you like it!


A/N: Happy holidays, Sawyerr! My fluff is always at least somewhat OOC, but I hope you like this. :)

The day Elliot Stabler met Casey Novak, he knew something special had happened. Something he hadn't even felt with Kathy, and he loved her with everything he had.

This was something different. This had sparked a romantic fire in him more passionate than anything he'd ever felt before. He wanted to sweep Casey off her feet and kiss her deeply, do things that really only ever happened in movies and love songs.

Casey had felt something similar, but things at work simply made things too hard at first. They felt strongly for each other, but nothing worked out for a long time.

And then, a blessing in disguise. The divorce papers from Kathy, while not unexpected, had nonetheless crushed him. Twenty years of his life out the door, just like that. He understood why, of course, and had the roles been reversed he might have done the same- but it still hurt.

They remained on friendly terms, though, and everything worked out fine with the kids. The kids were understandably upset, but they slowly adjusted.

And so did Elliot. Because during the divorce, two people stood by him. His partner, and Casey Novak. And there came a point when Elliot decided it was time to move on, and time to take a chance.

It was surprisingly easy, probably because of how comfortable they were with each other. They had just won a case and were out at a bar with the team. The two were the last ones remaining, and Elliot waited until the mood was quiet and calm.

Then he asked, "So, Casey, are you doing anything this weekend?"

And Casey gave him a look. She knew exactly what he meant, and she had been waiting for this for so long. So many things about Elliot attracted her, and his looks were just the beginning. His tough personality, his determination, and his devotion to his family. God, there was nothing sexier than a family man.

"No, I'm not," Casey said, finally. "What do you have in mind?"

Elliot grinned at her, almost shyly. Almost. "A date?"

Casey laughed. "It's about time, Stabler. I'd love to go on a date with you."

"Good," Elliot murmured, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Casey smiled softly and leaned into the embrace.

A few days later found Casey and Elliot lounging in Elliot's apartment, eating Chinese and fumbling with the chopsticks. Dickie, Lizzie, and Kathleen sat nearby, watching some romcom. They were always happy when Casey was over, and that made Casey feel a lot less worried about her relationship with Elliot. They weren't going to tell them so soon into the relationship, of course, but when the time came, they would hopefully be much more accepting of her than they would otherwise be about another woman coming into their lives.

"So, Casey, you play softball, right?" Lizzie asked, turning around from her spot on the floor.

"Yep," Casey said, grinning.

"She's being modest. She doesn't just play, she should go pro!" Elliot said.

Casey snorted. "Flatterer."

"Maybe," Elliot retorted.

"Anyyyyyway," Casey said, "Why do you ask, Lizzie?"

"Well, I want to join my school's team, but I'm no good at anything but hitting. I can't play the field or pitch or anything," Lizzie said, sighing. "And what good's a softball player who can't do anything but hit?"

"Hitting's the easiest part, Lizzie. I'd be happy to show you how to pitch. As for field positions, I think you'd make a good right fielder. You just have to practice." Casey said.

"Can you take me to a field soon? The season starts in two months," Lizzie said.

"Of course," Casey replied, smiling at her.

The rest of the night passed smoothly. Elliot and Casey made plans for another date, this one actually involving going out. Casey had promised to call Lizzie as soon as her schedule cleared to find a time to coach her, and she Dickie and Kathleen had even gotten her to watch the movie.

As Elliot walked her outside, Casey stopped. She embraced him tightly and leaned up for a kiss. Elliot paused for a moment before kissing her back, soft and tender. He stroked her beautiful blonde hair and lost himself in the moment.

"I'm so happy, Elliot," she said, pulling away. "I've wanted this for so long, and I didn't want to ask you the second Kathy left, but there came a point when I started to worry that you didn't feel the same. And now here we are, and your kids are amazing- even though I haven't met Maureen yet- and I've always loved kids, and-"

"I know, Casey," Elliot murmured, kissing her forehead. "I'm excited too. It took me a while to get over Kathy, because she's the mother of my children and we were together for so long. But I want to start over with you and I think this will work out. I want you in my life and my kid's lives."

Casey nodded, kissing Elliot's lips softly. When she pulled back, she sighed softly and said, "Well, I have to get home. Trial prep and all. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Of course," Elliot replied, setting his hand on the small of her back as they walked to a taxi. Casey blushed slightly at the chivalrous gesture, but decided that she liked it. Tomboy or no, it was a nice feeling.

As Elliot watched Casey get in the taxi and the taxi driving off, he smiled. Some divorcees never got the chance to start over, but he was able to with Casey. It was too early to think of things like marriage, but he knew their relationship would be comfortable, and it would give him the break from work that he had had with Kathy, and Casey understood the job better than Kathy had. Casey was the start of a happy new chapter in his life, and he couldn't wait to fill it in together.


End file.
